This talk was recorded at the Institute for Critical Animal Studies Oceania 2015 Conference in Melbourne. You can find out more information about this conference here: http://www.criticalanimalstudies.org/conference-schedule/

You can find links to listen to other talks from the conference here: http://progressivepodcastaustralia.com/2015/08/14/108/

This recording is thanks to Kate from Freedom of Species: http://www.freedomofspecies.org/

Below is further information about the talk from the conference booklet, available here: http://www.criticalanimalstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/2015-booklet-final-.pdf

Through the Looking Glass – the hidden industry of animal experiments

HELEN MARSTON

Obtaining information about what actually happens to animals in research can

be a difficult and frustrating process. Questions to the funding bodies are

usually redirected to the state or territory departments responsible for animal

welfare; and the state departments usually refer you back to the funding body

– often the National Health & Medical Research Council. Requests for

information – minutes of AEC meetings, annual reports - are denied, and

straightforward requests such as statistics are at best “difficult” to obtain and

do not provide an accurate account of the purpose for which the animals are

used.

If you question a company or institution about their use of animals their

standard response is that all animal use has been considered and approved

by an Animal Ethics Committee, and that they adhere to strict animal welfare

legislation. Humane Research Australia’s case studies however suggest

otherwise. How can such research as feeding alcohol to pregnant sheep,

shaking lambs to death and dropping weights onto the exposed brains of rats

have possibly gained ethics committee approval? And how can it be argued

that these animals’ welfare has been protected by legislation?

With over six million animals used in research every year, Australia does not

have a good reputation in this regard, but how can we aim to reduce these

numbers and replace animals with more humane and scientifically-valid nonanimal

methods of research when we can’t even find out what’s going on?

Despite being largely funded by Australian taxpayers, the industry is

shrouded in secrecy.

Following a 12 year career in investment banking, Helen pursued a number of

projects specific to animal welfare / rights. She was employed by Animals

Australia for eight years, during which time she participated in the NHMRC’s

public consultation on xenotransplantation, and founded Humane Charities

Australia Inc. (www.humanecharities.org.au), a project aimed to identify

health charities that do not conduct nor support animal-based research. After

leaving Animals Australia in 2004 to produce ‘Animals Matter’ – Australia’s first

television program about animal welfare and rights issues, Helen completed

the Grad. Certificate in Animal Welfare at Monash University in 2005.

Helen is now employed by Humane Research Australia Inc. as their Chief

Executive Officer. HRA is an organization which challenges the use of animals

in research and promotes the use of more humane and scientifically-valid non

animal alternatives.

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